New Team At The Helm
The new leadership at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) faces an uphill task in improving the country's rights record
By A CORRESPONDENT
After months of speculation, the new leadership is at the helm of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). Amid demands that the government give continuity to the old leadership in the absence of popularly accountable bodies, the previous chairman has been given the second chance to head the body.
King Gyanendra, in accordance with the National Human Rights Commission Act – 2053 BS, appointed Nayan Bahadur Khatri as chairman of the commission for a second term (of five years).
The King also appointed Mrs Sushila Singh (Shilu), former Supreme Court judge; Sudip Pathak, chairman of Human Rights Organization of Nepal (HURON); Gokul Pokharel, senior journalist; and Dr. Ram Dayal Rakesh, an academician as members of the commission.
Apart from Khatri, other members are new faces. Pathak is a well-known human rights activists. "We will not compromise with anyone in fulfilling out duties," Pathak said after the appointment.
Singh is the first woman judge at the apex court. Pokharel, on the other hand, is the president of the Nepal Press Institute. He is also a former editor of Gorkhapatra daily and former general manager of Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS). Dr. Rakesh, a cultural expert of Mithila region, is a former academician at the Royal Nepal Academy .
The new leadership at the NHRC is going to have to work amid deepening conflict in the country. Besides, the government and the UN Human Rights Commission has already reached an agreement leading to the opening of a UN rights monitoring office in Kathmandu . The NHRC will have to work deftly to earn the credibility and confidence of different stakeholders including the government, civil society as well as the international actors.
The challenge in front of the NHRC is immense. And this was evident when soon after the appointment of new leadership, 25 human rights organizations issued a joint statement criticizing the new team. The organizations have said that most new faces in the NHRC have doubtful qualifications and added that they were awarded for their loyalty to the government.
Besides having to work amid the absence of parliament, growing conflict, limited resource and changed political context will make their job complicated.
Just before their tenure ended, the previous NHRC team had assessed its achievements and expressed they could not attain everything they had desired to. Only 11 percent of the complaints registered at the Commission could be duly resolved, the NHRC stated unveiling a book titled “Five Years Of NHRC” last week. Around 3397 cases (of rights violations) were filed at the Commission during the period out of which only 398 could be released. Among the complaints regarding the ‘disappearances’ of 1619 persons, the Commission could make public the whereabouts of only 167 persons. Of the total, 1234 were ‘disappeared’ by the state and 398 by the Maoists. It also conducted detailed study on 10 major incidents of human rights abuses and submitted its recommendations to the government.
At a time when Nepal's rights record is getting increasing attention in the world, the efficiency of the new NHRC team is sure to be tested in the days to come.
Spring Everest Summit
On May 30, 46 mountaineers successfully climbed the 8848 m high Mt. Everest. According to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, out of the 60 expedition teams that had received permit to scale the mountain this spring season, 46 belonging to nine teams achieved the feat on a single day.
The successful climbers include 26 Nepalese (including one woman from Kathmandu), six Americans, three South Koreans, eight Iranians, one Mexican and one Canadian.
Moni Mulepati of Jhonche, Kathmandu has become the first woman from Kathmandu valley to have scaled the mountain.
